After enjoying the winter night scenery, the two finally returned to the hotel.
Ever since Nannan was born, the young couple had been taking care of her themselves. Tonight, it was rare for the child not to be by their side, and the two of them felt as if they had suddenly returned to their newlywed days.
"Baby," Lu Jingming whispered close to her ear, "It's been a long time since we've been like this. We have to cherish tonight."
Xu Yanxia's side went numb with a pleasant tingle. Blushing, she said, "We're an old married couple now..."
"How are we old?" His eyes were filled with infatuation. "We've only been married for three years. It won't be too late to call ourselves old in thirty years."
Saying so, he simply picked her up and carried her to the bathroom.
...
That night, he really seemed to have returned to their newlywed days, lingering with her endlessly. Amidst her shyness, Xu Yanxia exuded the mature charm of a young wife, making him even more unable to stop himself.
And in his dreams after being fully sated, Lu Jingming suddenly encountered that familiar scene again.
It was a chilly spring dawn hundreds of years ago.
He and a group of newly passed tribute students entered the palace gates and arrived at the square outside the main hall.
The imperial guards lined the red steps with their ceremonial insignia, and the civil and military officials stood within the courtyard in their python robes and brocade ribbons. Everything was majestic and solemn.
He and the others were all wearing green silk official robes, holding their breath as they waited for a certain moment to arrive.
Suddenly, bells and drums sounded in unison, and the Emperor, clad in a dragon robe, descended upon the hall.
He followed the crowd in bowing and shouting "Long live the Emperor." Immediately after, an official of rites began to read out their rankings—
"First place in the first rank, Lu Anlin..."
Right, in this dream, he was the son of an official family in Jiangnan. Full of ambition and having studied hard for ten years, he had finally achieved the title of top scholar today.
He knelt to express his gratitude and joined everyone in cheering "Long live the Emperor." After the majestic ceremony, he and his fellow graduates were treated to a grand imperial banquet.
The hall was filled with the melodious and resonant sounds of pipes, flutes, and drums. The dishes laid out on the tables were rare delicacies seldom seen among the common folk.
There was the Eight-Treasure Fragrant Pork Belly, steamed with eight ingredients including glutinous rice, lotus seeds, lily bulbs, red dates, and ham. There was the amber, crystal-clear jellied meat; the melt-in-your-mouth bird's nest and fish lip soup; and the tender, non-greasy Qilin crystal pork hock.
Among them, the dish that amazed him the most was the Peacock Displaying its Feathers Fish.
A whole mandarin fish had been deboned and intricately carved, arranged in the shape of a peacock spreading its tail. Not only was it completely boneless, but its appearance was also exceptionally lifelike.
Especially the "eyes" on the peacock feathers, which were actually made of fish slices rolled with shrimp paste, dotted with bright red crab roe. It tasted incredibly fresh and had a perfect texture, making it truly unforgettable.
Even as a son of an official who had grown up without ever worrying about food or clothing, it truly opened his eyes.
The scholars at his table all marveled at the perfection of the imperial cuisine. Just then, someone unexpectedly mentioned, "You wouldn't have guessed it, but such exquisite dishes were made by a young woman."
"A young woman?" Hearing this, everyone's interest was piqued, and they asked one after another, "Is that true? Can a woman even be an imperial chef?"
"Yeah, are you joking with us? How could an imperial chef be a young woman?"
...
But the insider smiled and said, "This young lady comes from a long line of imperial chefs; several of her ancestors held the position. Because of a sudden tragedy in her family and having no older brothers, she had to enter the palace to inherit the family legacy. The Emperor, seeing how exceptional her culinary skills were, made an exception and granted his approval."
"So that's how it is." Everyone couldn't help but sigh with emotion, "It's truly not easy for a young girl to shoulder her family's legacy and win the Emperor's appreciation!"
"A heroine who outshines men!"
...
Indeed.
It sounded like this imperial chef was not very old. For a frail woman to hold up her household after a family tragedy, her courage was no less than that of a man.
Lu Anlin, who had remained silent all along, nodded quietly.
Suddenly, a trace of anticipation sprouted in his heart.
He wondered if there would be a chance for him to meet this imperial chef.
Seeing her outstanding culinary skills, he figured she must be a calm and resilient person.
...
It was just a pity that the dream was too short, and the Lu Anlin in the dream failed to realize his wish.
But outside the dream, Lu Jingming woke up and opened his eyes. His resilient and capable wife was sleeping right in his arms.
Lu Jingming was in a daze for a moment.
Then, he suddenly realized.
Perhaps this was their heaven-ordained destiny, which was why she appeared in his dreams twice.
Like the first time she went to his company to deliver food to him, bringing that dish of fish slices rolled with shrimp.
He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile, lowering his head to gently kiss her forehead.
In his arms, Xu Yanxia fluttered her eyes open and asked him groggily, "Is it time to get up? Are we late?"
They had booked a flight for this morning to rush home to their daughter.
"No," Lu Jingming said gently, "We're not late. Everything is just right."
Yes, everything was just right.
